obedience - Barbara Lynn Seibel

August 17, 2025August 16, 2025

How Obedient Are You? | A Study on Genesis 12:1-9

Years ago, my late husband and I owned and lived in one side of a duplex. The other side of the duplex was also owner-occupied. Our agreement with each other in the event either were to move included giving the other owner first chance at buying before listing.

We had moved to this duplex because we had gotten in over our heads on a single-family home financially. So, when our neighbor told me she was preparing to list her side of the duplex, I immediately sought God’s advice whether we should attempt to buy her out.

In my mind, it could have been an opportunity to have rental income to speed up our financial recovery. Provided we could afford the additional mortgage, that is.

When I sought God’s advice, I got the following response in that still, quiet voice that you know is not your own mind speaking: “No, you will be moving.”

Although startled by this response, I told our neighbor we weren’t interested in buying her side.

I’ll share more about this after we look at God asking Abram to move in Genesis 12:1-9.

May 4, 2025May 3, 2025

Are You an Obedient Exile?

This question is not about physical exile per se.

Rather, it is a question of whether you are obedient to your faith when the stakes become higher than you expected.

Are you aware there are more martyrs for Christian faith today than at any other time in history?

If this startles you, it is probable that you live somewhere where Christianity or being a follower of Jesus is not under outright persecution.

It may also startle you if you are not someone who keeps informed about the state of God’s mission to redeem people from every group across the globe.

Today, we will study the opening two verses of 1 Peter from the New Testament.

I hope these two verses will encourage you to consider deeply what it truly means to be an obedient exile no matter where you live.

April 13, 2025April 13, 2025

Have You Ridden a Donkey?

I am sure I have been around a donkey or two at a zoo or other wildlife preserve.

But I have never ridden one. Nor have I had to lead one anywhere.

In the last year of my earthly father’s life, he shared a story with me I had never heard before about a time he handled two donkeys.

He shared he was responsible for getting these two donkeys from one location to where his father was waiting for him.

At one point, the donkey he was riding stopped and refused to move forward. The other donkey also stopped. My dad said he did everything he could think of to get those donkeys moving again.

Donkeys have a reputation for being stubborn, which my father experienced firsthand.

What does this have to do with Matthew 21:1-11?

December 10, 2023December 9, 2023

From Genealogies to Dreams: Obeying God | Matthew 1:18-25

The first chapter of the gospel of Matthew surprisingly starts with a genealogy.

After fifteen verses about who fathered what son and after mentioning a few unexpected mothers, we get verse sixteen:

¹⁶and Jacob the father of Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom Jesus was born, who is called Christ. ^{^[1]}

Verse seventeen then summarizes the royal genealogical record Matthew highlighted, reinforcing his opening verse statement that Jesus Christ is officially part of the promises made to Abraham back in Genesis and King David in 2 Samuel.

Then, Matthew explains the mystery of why he did not call Joseph the father of Jesus Christ.

April 2, 2023April 1, 2023

If Anyone Asks You

What leaps to mind when you hear someone begin a sentence with, “If anyone asks you”?

Obviously, when someone starts a sentence with that series of words, more instructions are about to follow.

Back in 2009, I had just started my first day of a two-week temporary assignment as a receptionist at a church.

Within the first hour of my temporary assignment, the senior pastor called the staff into a meeting. Meanwhile, being a temp, I remained at my post. As the staff came out of this unexpected meeting, I realized they had received upsetting news. Many were crying as they walked past the reception area to return to their offices.

My manager came and shared with me the news that the person whose role I was covering had stage four cancer and would most likely not return to work. She then proceeded with a version of “if anyone asks you” instruction on how to respond to questions that might come from church members as word of this spread.

This was a tremendous help to me in that unexpected situation. She coached me to be truthful while still protecting the privacy of the person.

Jesus once coached two of his disciples to respond to an “if anyone asks you” question for a specific situation.

May 29, 2022June 22, 2024

BECAUSE YOU WERE OBEDIENT

When looking for a picture for today’s post, I searched pixabay.com with the word obedience.

Dogs, dogs, and more dogs were the main photos that appeared.

The one above is showing a shepherd dog breed doing weave poles on an agility course.

What is it about dogs that make us link them so closely with the word obedience?

As a norm, dogs that are properly raised desire to please their humans.

My husband did agility training with Molly, one of our previous dogs.

Molly loved the rewards of food treats while learning the various parts of an agility course.

When Molly was not actively training on the course, we had to keep her leashed because she would search the entire field for any stray treats that other dogs may have missed.

Molly also loved the time she spent being active with my husband while training.

It was a special bonding time for their relationship.

How does this relate to Bible Study?

May 1, 2022May 1, 2022

When Not to Ask Questions

When did you not ask questions?

Back when my husband and I were living in Oklahoma, he was standing in our kitchen with his back to me ranting about the garbage bucket needing to be emptied. His level of frustration regarding an overfilled garbage bucket was excessive. It was also not his usual demeanor.

Although I wanted to ask questions or say something snarky about his behavior, I sensed the issue was not about the garbage bucket.

Turns out tired frustrations over something at his work triggered his behavior, not the garbage, nor me.

To this day, I am glad I let him express his frustration rather than interrogate him right then.